Let's join the good fight

The fight is on. Spraying campaigns to kill the breeding grounds of adult dengue-carrying mosquitoes are being carried out by municipal councils in the Western Division, the Health Ministry has confirmed.

According to the chemical applicator resistance study which was done in 2014, it said, the spraying activities are effective in terms of destroying breeding grounds for the adult mosquitoes.

Yesterday, the ministry also confirmed that of the two dengue fever related deaths in the country this year, one was recorded in the Western Division.

It continues to monitor the outbreak in Ba and Nadi.

Refusing to divulge further information on the deceased, the ministry said the situation was under control.

A second death was recorded on Vanua Levu.

While dengue deaths are uncommon, it said, dengue could kill which was why it was urging people showing symptoms of dengue fever to present themselves to their nearest hospital on time to be assessed for symptoms of severe dengue.

The ministry says symptoms of dengue fever typically begin between five and seven days after being infected by a dengue virus carrying mosquito.

The symptoms, it said, are sudden onset of high fever with severe headache, pain behind the eyes or eye socket, joint pains, muscle pains, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, or skin rash.

Symptoms can last three to seven days before you start to feel better, it said.

The challenge is now on us to be proactive.

There is no room for complacency.

We must clean up our compounds. We must empty water carrying containers including our pot plants.

We should have our back yards clean and encourage neighbours to keep their compounds clean as well.

We hope health inspectors will be vigilant and pull up inconsiderate neighbours.

Surely by now most people would be aware of the dengue alert.

Surely there would be consideration about the importance of being part of the campaign to fight the dengue carrying mosquitoes.

It is a fight that we can become a positive part of.

The onus though is on us to be part of the solution.

It sounds simple enough when one raises the issue of making time to destroy mosquito breeding places. The challenge though is motivating people to be part of the process.

There must be teamwork. This good fight needs the support of the masses to succeed. It needs us to be in the driving seat.